Touch Me When We're Dancing
by flashpenguin
Summary: Stood up on a date, Joss becomes the target of a drunk who wants to make it all better. Leave it to Reese to ride in an save the day, but will his two left feet spoil his cover? Or will it lead the star-crossed lovers to something they've both been denying? ***COMPLETE!***


_**The idea for this story came to me a couple of months ago while I was driving home from work. When I proposed it to my friend, the first thing he said was, "Who's going out the window? If someone messes with Carter, Reese is sending them flying!" Well, I didn't send anyone flying, but I think I sensed that the kiss was coming...eventually. It's just my spin on things had Joss not gone after HR and the kiss hadn't taken place in a morgue. It deserves something a bit more romantical!**_

_**I don't own Person of Interest, nor do I own the characters. I own the ability to make them dance to my tunes, though!**_

_**Song prompt: "Touch Me When We're Dancing" by The Carpenters**_

* * *

**Touch Me When We're Dancing**

Joss Carter stirred her drink with the plastic straw and groaned. Why had she let herself get sucked into trying to get back into the dating life? It wasn't as though she had been missing it, but how hard could it be to go out on a date? From the look of the people at the club and the music playing…it was definitely not what she was used to.

She sipped the tonic and water slowly. What happened to the good old days of real music and people being able to carry a conversation for more than a minute? The good old days before cell phones and I-Pads, she groused. If she had had it her way, she would have stayed home and relaxed with a bowl of popcorn and a sappy chick flick. But, Taylor was worried about her.

"_Mom, you should consider giving it a try. It's not like you're that old. You can still have some fun," he remarked in the off handed way of a teenager._

"_Thanks, T. I'm not that old, and I know how to have fun."_

"_Then why don't you go out? Kick up your feet? Find someone to have a good time with?"_

"_Seriously?! Because I don't want to," she retorted. "I see what's out on the streets everyday. No way am I dating that! I'd rather stay home with you."_

"_That's what old people do, Mom. You gotta get out more. See if that guy who helps you all the time can't find someone nice for you to go out with."_

"_Eh. Yeah. I'm sure that he has more important things to do than be my dating service. Besides, I thought you and I might spend Saturday night watching TV and pigging out on junk food," she invited._

"_Thanks, Mom. But I have a date."_

"_Really? I didn't know."_

"_I told you last week."_

"_I must have forgotten." She tried to hide the disappointment._

"_It's okay. You know, if you want, I can stay home. Keep you company," Taylor offered in a contrite voice._

"_No," she returned firmly. "You go out on your date. I'll find something to do."_

Of course she would forget that her cell was on all the time. Was it chance or bad luck that Finch would call her to say that he had signed her up with a trusted dating service and the lucky guy would pick her up on Saturday?

Some date.

It went well enough at the start. They would begin with drinks at the nearby bar, then go to dinner. He seemed harmless enough. Easy conversation revolving around their children and work. But then his phone rang. He excused himself with the promise that he would be back in a couple of minutes. Joss checked her watch. That was nearly an hour ago.

Maybe she could give him a few more minutes, she reasoned just as the hair on the back of her neck stood up. She was being watched. Tilting her head to the side, she caught the guy at the end of the bar scoping her.

Giving him a tight smile, Joss turned back to her drink. "Hurry," she muttered under her breath. She was armed, but she didn't want to have to resort to using deadly force on a lecherous drunk who was giving her the eye.

"I haven't seen you around here before," a slurred voice stated from behind. Joss kept herself in check and pretended to appear indifferent.

"It's because you haven't." She sipped her drink thru the straw and kept one eye on the door for any evidence of her date returning.

"Can I buy you a drink?"

"Sorry." She held up the long glass. "Already got one."

"Can I take you home?"

Joss turned around to face him. Average height, a little on the portly side with a bad comb-over…yeah, she had fought off guys like that in the Army. He would be a piece of cake.

"I'm with someone."

"You look pretty alone to me, sweetheart. Let me buy you a drink." He sat down on the chair across from her.

"No, thank you. My date is going to be here any minute, so…" She pushed the glass away. "He is pretty possessive."

What should have intimidated the drunk had the opposite effect. He grinned. "I think he'll understand. Just one dance."

"Look. It was nice talking to you, but I have to go." Joss stood up. "I have to call-"

The drunk grabbed her wrist. "One dance."

Joss opened her mouth to say something, but her retort was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"I think the lady said no," John Reese demanded in the low, cold tone cultivated by the CIA.

"John," Joss breathed in relief and surprise. Her eyes went from the guy holding her to the man in the suit.

"We were getting ready to dance," the drunk stated.

"I think you're going to be dancing alone." Reese sized the guy up and mentally formulated a plan to get rid of him.

"And who do you think you are?" the man demanded.

"I'm the man who is running late for our date," Reese returned without missing a beat. "So I would appreciate it if you took your hands off of my woman."

The drunk looked at Joss. "Is he your guy?"

"Yes, he is," she smiled, adding to the fib.

"I should have known," the drunk snorted and let go of her wrist. "Have fun." He ambled back toward the end of the bar. He turned to give the pair a glare.

"Thanks," Joss said.

"It was nothing. I'm just glad he let go," Reese replied.

"I had it under control."

"I'm sure you did, Joss." He smiled knowingly.

Joss rolled her eyes. "Do I want to know what brings you here at the precise time a drunk is hitting on me?"

"I was in the neighbourhood," he said simply.

"You're never _just in the neighbourhood_," she returned with a sarcastic snort. "Let me guess: Finch."

"He advised me that I might want to pop in and check things out. Good thing I did."

"I knew I should have left my phone at home," she grumbled.

Reese looked around the area. "So, where is he?"

"Where is who?"

"The guy who stood you up."

"Oh, you mean the date that Finch arranged for me? Yeah, he's taking a personal call."

"When was this?"

"Nearly an hour ago."

Reese touched his chin. "I would say that he's long gone by now."

"Don't tell me that you did something," Joss bit out.

"No. But I was going to do something to that thug who was manhandling you."

"How sweet of you." Joss reached over and picked up her clutch. "I think I need to go now."

"Why? The night is still young."

"Maybe for you, but I think I'll hit the sack. I got the weekend off."

"Me too."

Joss gave him a wary look. "What? No bad guys to shoot in the kneecaps? No good citizens needing rescued?" she scolded but there was teasing in her tone.

"Shaw's taking care of that." He could see the drunk still staring at them. He was going to have to improvise if they were going to avoid a public brawl. His ears perked up as a song came over the speakers. "Dance with me." He took her hand in his and pulled her to the floor.

"John…I…" she protested as he dragged her out to the floor.

"He's watching us. Unless you want him to come over and cause a scene which might result with me throwing him out a window…" Reese suggested with mirth in his voice.

"I wouldn't put it past you," Joss gave in. "Okay. One dance." She put her arms around his neck. The touch of her skin against his was enough to make her heart beat fast. She tried to remain cool as his arms went around her waist. Slowly they swayed to the music.

Reese dipped his face close to her ear. He tried to ignore the light musky scent of her perfume as it filled his senses. "I have to warn you that I'm not very good at this," he whispered low enough for her to hear.

"At what? Dancing?" she chided in as normal a tone as she could. _Get a grip, Jocelyn!_ She reprimanded herself.

"Two left feet," he grinned. He tried to concentrate on not stepping on her toes, but everything he learned over the years was going out the same window he had threatened to use earlier.

"Guess you didn't have much use for them in the CIA, heh?" she wondered.

"Not much call for dancing when undercover trying to eliminate the enemy."

"Ah." The music continued and the pair slowly swayed to the beat.

"So, what gets you out on a Saturday night?" he wondered casually. "I thought you might be home with Taylor."

"He has a date. My little man is growing up," she grumbled with undisguised woe.

"So you thought you'd do the same?" Reese's eyes danced with mischief.

"Heh. Ask our mutual friend why I'm here."

Reese appeared surprised. "Finch set you up on a date?"

"Not very well. The guy bailed to make a phone call and left me to fend off a drunk with intentions."

"Lucky for you I happened to be in the neighbourhood, eh?"

"Yeah," she breathed. "Lucky me." She tried to look over Reese's shoulder. "I can't see him."

"He's still there. He's starting to make his way over. I think he might try to cut in." He turned Joss so her back faced the bar. "Follow my lead. Okay?"

"S-s-sure," she stammered. She didn't try to contemplate what he had in store, but her heart nearly jumped out of her chest as his hands gently caressed her back. "W-what are you doing?"

"Letting him know that I'm staking my territory."

"You…you're what?" Her big brown eyes searched his. She was nervous, but that wasn't reason to make him stop. Who knew that a man who had been trained to be a hired killer had the angel's touch?

"He's not taking the hint, Joss. Kiss me. Quick." Before Joss could reply, Reese's lips covered hers. Startled at first, she started to pull back, but the arms around her waist drew her in tighter.

Joss's arms wrapped around Reese's neck and pulled him closer. Ever so gently his lips moved over hers in the most incredible kiss of her life. She felt his tongue outline the seam of her lips. With a small moan, she let him in. Her fingers curled in his hair.

Reese had been trained for everything under the sun, but the feel of Jocelyn Carter's lips on his was enough to pull the world out from underneath him. And when their tongues mated…he nearly lost his mind.

Coming up for air, they stared at one another for a long minute, oblivious to everything going on around them.

"Is-is he gone?" Joss whispered. She wanted to let go of Reese, but was too afraid by the way her knees were shaking.

"I think that scared him off." He glanced at the bar. The drunk was gone. He looked at Joss. Her eyes shone with something he had never seen.

"I didn't know you could kiss like that. I figured you being a killer and all…"

"That I don't know much about romance? I know enough," he said.

"But your dancing needs some work."

"Are you going to give me a lesson?"

Joss looked down at Reese's chest, then back up at his blue eyes. And she felt herself drowning. "Depends. Are you interested?"

"Very." Another slow song came over the speakers. "Ah. This is a good one," he commented.

"_Play us a song we can slow dance on,_

_We wanna hold each other…"_

"The Carpenters?" Joss scoffed. "Seriously?"

"Can you think of another more appropriate song for the moment?" he cupped her cheek, his thumb softly stroked her skin.

"No," she admitted. "Actually, I like this song."

"So, it's a deal? You'll teach me to dance?"

She considered the offer what she could get out of it. "On one condition. Let me steal a kiss or two."

"Why, Detective Carter, I thought you were by the book?" he teased. "Stealing isn't in your moral code."

Oblivious to the music and everyone around her, Joss pulled Reese's head down to hers. "It is now," she said and kissed him.  
****

Finch reached over and turned off the computer with one hand while the other picked up the leash. Instantly the canine was on his feet.

"Well, it looks as though Mr. Reese and Detective Carter are going to be busy for a while." Finch stood up. "Come on, Bear. Let's go for a walk." He secured the leash.

Together, the pair walked out of the library.

The End.


End file.
